King; for, he said, though he never did any thing he thought contrary to his interest, yet many railleries, and other indecent things, had passed, for which he prayed God to forgive him, and resolved to ask the King's pardon: and he said, he thought he must likewise let the King know that he forgave him; and for this purpose he hit on the expression, "I forgive all concerned in my death, from the highest to the lowest." He was very careful to say nothing which might appear offensive. He would not say to the King, he had been devoted to his true interest and service; for, he said, the King will say I declined to serve him when I left the council. Nor would he subscribe himself a loyal subject; for, he said, that would not look well in a man attainted of treason, and would seem an impeachment of the sentence. The letter,

when finished, was as follows:

66

May it please Your Majesty ;

"Since this is not to be delivered till after my death, I hope Your Majesty will forgive the presumption of an attainted man's writing to you. My chief business is, humbly to ask your pardon, for any thing that I have either said, or done, that might look like want of respect to Your Majesty, or duty to your government. In

which, though I do to the last moment acquit myself of all designs against your person, or of altering of the government, and protest I know of no design, now on foot, against either; yet I do not deny but I have heard many things, and said some things contrary to my duty; for which, as I have asked God's pardon, so I humbly beg Your Majesty's. And I take the liberty to add, that though I have met with hard measure, yet I forgive all concerned in it from the highest to the lowest; and I pray God to bless both your person and government, and that the public peace, and the true Protestant religion, may be preserved under you. And I crave leave to end my days with this sincere protestation, that my heart was ever devoted to that which I thought was your true interest; in which, if I was mistaken, I hope your displeasure against me will end with my life, and that no part of it shall fall on my wife and children; which is the last petition will ever be offered you from, May it please Your Majesty, Your Majesty's most faithful, most dutiful, and most obedient subject, W. RUSSELL." "Newgate, July 19. 1683."

A copy of this letter in the Woburn papers, is thus endorsed: -"A copy of my Lord's letter to the King, to be delivered after his death, -and was so, by his uncle, Colonel Russell."

*

It appears by the following note of Dr. Burnet, that a copy was sent to the King before Lord Russell's death, with the hope of inclining him to mercy. Yet so strangely are things misrepresented, that one writer blames Burnet for having a copy of Lord Russell's letter sent to the King after his death, instead of the original; and another † is still more severe on Lord Russell, for going out of the world with an insult to his sovereign.

Dr. Burnet to Lady Russell.

Endorsed by Lady Russell:- "Dr. Burnet to me, upon a note I sent to him, for my Lord's leave to show his letter to the King."

"Madam,

My lord is in so wonderful a temper, that I dare not attempt diverting him from those thoughts with which he is so full. But I will presume to offer my advice, that you shall send your copy of his letter to the King. You may say you dare not send the original, because it were the transgressing his orders; but by the copy, that is more in your power, the King will see what it is; and if it has no effect, upon

* Dalrymple.

† See article RUSSELL, in the Biographia Britannica.

sending back your copy, you will send the original. I think you may do this; and it is the last thing.

"I am,

"Your faithfullest servant,

"G. BURNET."

Lord Cavendish having sent him a proposition, by Sir James Forbes, to change clothes with him and remain in prison, whilst he made his escape, he, in a smiling way, sent his thanks to him, but said he would make no escape. He probably thought that flight would look like a confession of guilt, and might prejudice his associates, and injure the great cause to which his whole life had been devoted. He said he was very glad he had not fled, for he could not have lived from his children, and wife, and friends that was all the happiness he saw in life. He was glad that some (probably alluding to Lord Grey) who had not lived so as to be fit to die, had escaped. Of Lord Essex, he said, he was the worthiest, the justest, the sincerest, and the most concerned for the public of any man he ever knew. He ascribed his last fatal act, in great part, to Lord Essex's regret for having introduced Lord Howard to him.

When he spoke of his wife, the tears would sometimes come into his eyes, and he would

suddenly change the discourse. Once, he said he wished she would give over beating every bush for his preservation: but when he considered that it would be some mitigation of her sorrow afterwards, to reflect she had left nothing undone, he acquiesced. He expressed great joy in the magnanimity of spirit he saw in her, and said, the parting with her was the greatest thing he had to do; for he was afraid she would hardly be able to bear it. The concern about preserving him filled her mind at the time; but when that should be over, he feared the quickness of her spirit would act too powerfully within her. In general, he kept up his cheerfulness. undiminished. One of the sheriffs was Rich, who, though he had now changed sides, had formerly voted for the Exclusion Bill in the House of Commons. When he came, with the other sheriff, with the warrant for the execution, Lord Russell told Burnet, that it was not decent to be merry with such a matter, otherwise he had been near telling Rich that they should never sit together again, to vote for the Exclusion Bill. * And a Mrs. Tressam having come to see him, after the trial, he said to her, " Mrs.

* Dalrymple says, "recollecting that Rich might feel pain from the innocent pleasantry, he checked himself."